About

Developmental and Line Editor and Book Coach

Hi! I’m Alan Burnce, an editor and coach for writers of books and smaller book-like things. I work with authors of literary and general fiction and trade nonfiction specializing in education, politics, history, society and culture, music, self-help, and memoir. As a writing coach, I help writers through the monumental process of shepherding their book project from idea to publication. I offer years of experience as a sympathetic, positive supporter who listens carefully and guides writers to crystallize their vision, plan their path forward, and make continuous progress toward publication or any other goal. I provide insightful feedback, actionable advice, varied suggestions for solving problems, and consistent accountability.

As a developmental and line editor, I work on a text’s structure and language. I bring a keen eye and well-honed editorial sensibility to every manuscript, and I approach every client with a generous spirit and honest, clear communication. I will help clarify your vision, sharpen your prose, spotlight your manuscript’s strengths, articulate its shortcomings, and offer possible solutions to help it enter the world as a book that cannot be put down.

Background

I come to editing from many years as a high school English teacher, primarily teaching Literature and Composition, Creative Writing, and Writing Lab classes. I’ve also written user manuals, online help guides, and training curricula for complex mapping and demographics software in the Y2K days, serving clients like Buffalo Wild Wings and UPS. And I once founded and ran an alternative school for teens in Portland. My resume is here if you’d like to take a look.

Off the Job

When I left teaching, I took a long trip to Merida, Mexico, the capital of the state of Yucatan. I fell in love with Mexico, made plans to move there after the summer, and two weeks later, both Mexico and the United States began the COVID lockdown. I decided my move had been made, and I’ve been here ever since. I moved over to the Pacific coast in search of mountains to hike, and have mostly lived in Puerto Vallarta since the spring of 2021. My business is based in Washington state, near Portland where I had lived for many years prior, but the rest of me lives and works in a studio apartment on the side of a river canyon. Yes, I eat a lot of tacos. Yes, they are better here. I spend a lot of my down time hiking, paddle boarding, reading, and enjoying everything this country has to offer.